the house of so-and-so. Allah Almighty smiled upon seeing those people (meaning, He became very pleased).” Regarding this event, this verse of Surah al-Ḥashr was revealed:^[1]

وَ یُؤْثِرُوْنَ عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ لَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ﳴ وَ مَنْ یُّوْقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهٖ فَاُولٰٓىٕكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُوْنَۚ(۹)

and they give preference over themselves even if they themselves are in need. And whosoever was saved from the greed of his soul, then it is they who are successful.^[2]

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه ! What beautiful hospitality. Sayyidunā Abū Ṭalḥa Anṣārī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ  put his own need aside, spent the night hungry, and fed the food that he himself was in need of to the guest. But look at he reward! What an amazing reward he received. The Beloved Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  said: “A strange thing happened in Abū Ṭalḥa’s house last night and Allah Almighty smiled upon seeing them.”

What is the meaning of “Allah Almighty smiling”? Only He knows best; His smiling is not like ours. He is the Lord, the Merciful, the Independent. The scholars state: The meaning of the Merciful Lord smiling is that Allah Almighty becomes very pleased with such a servant.^[3] This means that Sayyidunā Abū Ṭalḥa Anṣārī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ hosted the guest in a unique way, so Allah Almighty became very pleased with him.

Blessings Rush to the Home

Sayyidunā Anas رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ narrates that the Holy Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  said, “Goodness and blessings rush to the house where a guest is staying faster than a stick falls from the hump of a camel—actually, even faster than that.”^[4]